With the recent proliferation of televisions and other viewing devices capable of effectively presenting three-dimensional (3D) visual content, there has been a recent accompanying growth in the amount of 3D visual content. However, much is still poorly understood about the effects that viewing 3D visual content has on viewers. Stated differently, although there is anecdotal evidence of adverse effects, including dizziness and fatigue, on viewers of 3D content, little has been done to quantify various possible factors that may or may not contribute to these effects.
With such a lack of information, those who create 3D visual content tend to rely on their own personal experiences in various experiments in using three dimensions in creating visual content. However, this results in reliance of mostly personal observations taken from a relatively small number of individuals. As those skilled in the art of statistical analysis applied to human subjects will readily recognize, such an approach invites to much subjective influence and is highly likely to lead to skewed results.
Further, there is a strong desire among those who create 3D visual content to use various aspects of the depth dimension available in 3D visual content as a tool to control the mood in various scenes in much the same way they typically use lighting, music, camera angles and field of view as tools to do so. Unfortunately, with a lack of information concerning the effects of how they do so, there is little guidance available as to when or how to limit such use of the depth dimension. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the embodiments described herein are needed.